“I grew up watching him. Then I get drafted by the Pirates, and in my first year I get to spring training, and he’s with the Reds, and I get to meet him for the first time and talk to him for 10 or 15 minutes. I think he ended up hitting a home run that day. It was really awesome,” said McCutchen.

McCutchen has since joined Griffey’s Swingman collection for Nike, and admits getting to know his childhood hero personally “is the coolest thing ever in the world.”

Chances are more than a few kids attending McCutchen’s youth baseball camp on Friday felt the same way after meeting the man Pirates fans have come to know simply as “Cutch.”

“Just interacting with all the kids, having a lot of fun with them, that’s what it’s all about,” McCutchen said when asked what his favorite part of the camp was. “I can remember when I was young and had an older guy give me advice, and it definitely took me a long way.”

McCutchen hosted more than 300 kids between the ages of 6 and 14 Friday morning at Boyce Mayview Park in Upper St. Clair.

He was joined by Indiana University head baseball coach Roger Rodeheaver and several other coaches from the Pittsburgh area.

McCutchen said he wanted to stress the importance of playing the game for fun.

“I think just to know this is a game of fun. I think they already know that. It doesn’t change when you get older. It may get a little bit more competitive, but for the most part, it’s still fun. It’s still enjoyable. You play this game because you love it. You don’t play it for work. It’s not work, it’s a game that you play,” said McCutchen.

McCutchen said he credits his father for inspiring him to play baseball.

“He always was with me everywhere I went as far as baseball went. He did a real good job with that. He's always been there with me. He’s made a lot of sacrifices, him and my mom. They did a real good job. I just appreciate what they did because it got me to where I am now,” said McCutchen.

Where he, and the Pirates, are now is in the middle of a pennant race that has fans hoping not just for the team to break its lull of 19 consecutive losing reasons, but to also return to the playoffs for the first time since the 1992 season.

“First it was .500. Now everyone’s talking about playoffs. It’s kind of cool just to be able to hear that, and we need to continue to keep winning and just be consistent,” said McCutchen.

While his .369 batting average leads the Majors and he continues to be showered with chants of “M-V-P” by fans at PNC Park, McCutchen isn't about to grow complacent.

“It’s pretty neat,” he said of the MVP chants. “It just shows what I’ve done this year. It’s been pretty good. Hopefully I can just continue to keep that going. I slowed down a little, still not where I want to be, but I’m sure I’ll pick it back up here soon.”